Nitric oxide (NO)-induced and caspase 1-related neuronal loss may lead to neurodegenerative disorders associated with neonatal and adult stroke, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease, amyothrophic lateral sclerosis, stroke, spinal injury, transplantation, multiple sclerosis, as well as hearing loss. No neuroprotective drug is available to these diseases. Some drugs are available for treating these diseases by enhancing the function of remaining neurons. However, no drug is very successful in slowing the progression of these disorders. Some of them even produce undesirable side effects, such as motor fluctuations and dyskinesias in Parkinson's disease. See, e.g., Quinn, et al., Neurology, 1998, 51, S25-29. Additionally, NO-induced and caspase 1-related heart cell loss may contribute to cardiovascular disorders, including heart failure, arteriosclerosis, myocarditis, and cardiomyopathy.